Kamui Kobayashi fears his chances of securing a drive for the 2013 Formula 1 season are narrowing as he continues to search for a sponsor.
The Japanese driver was asked for financial backing in order to stay at Sauber, which is set to announce Mexican Esteban Gutierrez as Nico Hulkenberg's team-mate for next year.
Sauber said it will name its second driver during the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend.
With Kobayashi still seeking sponsorship, he reckons he has a better chance of being on the grid in 2014 than next year.
"My future? Well, if I could win it would be fantastic," the Japanese driver joked at Interlagos on Thursday.
"This is Formula 1. I need to work it out. Overall I think there is a bigger chance of a top team in 2014. We'll see. I'm working very hard to get a sponsor."
Kobayashi was coy when asked about Sauber's planned announcement this weekend.
"At the moment I think it's very difficult to say anything about the future," he added. "If I say too much there is no point for them to announce anything. Someone said Monisha [Kaltenborn] will announce it this weekend but I don't know. At the moment I can't say anything about it.
"I don't know what they want to announce."
